The News from Hawaii Volcanoes

Hawaii Park Visitors Down 15%

Hawaii’s national parks have been seeing fewer visitors this year, according to the most recent data from the National Park Service.

There were 2.7 million visitors to Hawaii’s national parks year-to-date as of July, down 9.4 percent from the more than 3 million visitors during the same period in 2007.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's funding shortage is showing

HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawai'i — The natural resources in the state's busiest national park are in poor condition, mostly because non-native plants and animals are threatening to overwhelm native flora and fauna including many endangered species, according to a new study of the park.

The study by the National Parks Conservation Association, an organization dedicated to advocating for national parks, also judged the condition of natural features and cultural sites at the park to be "fair to poor," and argues for more money for park operations.

Noise on rise at Volcanoes park

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is among the top five parks most at risk from growing noise pollution, according to a coalition of retired national park employees.

Bill Wade, executive council chairman of the coalition, said people think of national parks as places of "genuine peace, quiet and natural sounds."

"Some parks remain natural cathedrals to silence and natural sounds, while others now face an onslaught of airplane overflights, traffic sounds, snowmobiles, jet skis and other man-made noise pollution," Wade said.

Volcanoes National Park is most often visited to view the Kilauea and Mauna Loa active volcanoes, which can't always be viewed by foot or car, the 650-member group said. In these cases, over flights are the only way to see eruptions, the group said.

Kilauea volcano update: It only seems oh so quiet

After a flurry of summit activity in the last couple of months—steam vent explosions, vog, evacuations, two temporary closures of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park—life there has seemed a bit quiet the last three weeks.

So we caught up with park ranger Mardie Lane to see if life for scientists and rangers at Kilauea had quieted down, too. Not a chance, said Lane.

“This park is never quiet. It’s the park that never sleeps. Not to take anything away from other national parks but, honestly, I’ve been known to stand on the edge of the Grand Canyon and go, ‘Well, what happens next?’” said Lane, chuckling. “We’re so used to the dynamic nature of active volcanism here.”

Kilauea's fumes over Hawaii a concern

Big Island residents take pride in their ability to tolerate and adapt to the elements. It isn't unusual in a single year for residents to put up with drought, long days of rain that can cause flooding, or threats from wildfires.

Even so, the recent days of heavy volcanic emissions and light kona winds have been obnoxious and in some cases damaging, and have some residents worrying about the future.

The morning sun was a distant red spot in a sea of gray vog in Hilo late last week. Teachers at some Big Island schools advised students to take recess indoors, and some elderly pedestrians walked through downtown Hilo with a handkerchief clamped over nose and mouth.

State and county officials say there hasn't been an increase in emergency medical calls because of respiratory problems or unusual numbers of emergency room visits in Hilo or Kona, but small Ka'u Hospital in Pahala has seen an estimated 50 percent increase in emergency room and clinic visits from people complaining of respiratory problems, said hospital administrator Merilyn Harris.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closes for second time this month

High levels of sulfur dioxide from Kilauea eruptions today closed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for the second time this month.This afternoon’s closure—like the first, on April 8— was caused by noxious fumes emanating from eruptions at Kilauea’s summit Halemaumau vent and further downslope Pu’u O’o vent.“Our primary concern is for the health and safety of visitors and employees,” said incident commander Joe Molhoek. “We're in close contact with the National Weather Service and look forward to favorable winds by week's end.”

Elevated sulfur dioxide levels lead to call for evacuation

Officials closed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for two days last week and evacuated 2,000 people because of elevated sulfur dioxide levels from the volcano's Halemaumau crater at the volcano's summit. Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Its current eruption began Jan. 3, 1983.